Pathfinder Pathfinder: Kingmaker Builds and Strats Thread

[Desiderius]

I'm playing Ekun straight-up Ranger and its probably better than the Huntmaster 8 version. Splashing SH3 is probably fine but straight-up is pretty smooth since it gets the duration up on your great buffs and gets you to Animal Growth/Res faster. Can't wait for Improved Quarry.

 

[Desiderius]

Octavia: Ranged touch ray spam sneak attack. Very one dimensional. Nice transmute CC here and there. I still like the Maximize Robe and Quickening Rod trick to fire off 6 rays of scorching in a turn.

Focus on Conjuration more. Way better CC.

She’s handy for Slow

 

[Trashos]

Jaethal: I'm using her badly here. A wasted level on INQ + TSS/VI/SD - may need recommendation

Yeah, I use Jaethal as a tank. The core build is TSS9/Inq3. TSS9 so that she gets shield bonus against touch attacks, and Inquisitor3 so that she can use teamwork feats (eg Shield Wall) without any other companion having them. This way, her Inq level at the start is not a waste!

So get her to TSS9/Inq1 fast, then get her to TSS9/Inq3, and then you can proceed however you want (eg go on as TSS or get some Stal Defender or get whatever).

 

[LannTheStupid]

I wonder how good Jaethal could be as an air->water Psychokineticist. Or may be even water -> air to tank in the beginning; however, then she would be too much like Kalikke.

Hmm...

Will she be able to survive the first 6-7 levels on Unfair as Inq1/TSS5 ?

 

[Haplo]

Octavia: Ranged touch ray spam sneak attack. Very one dimensional. Nice transmute CC here and there. I still like the Maximize Robe and Quickening Rod trick to fire off 6 rays of scorching in a turn.

Focus on Conjuration more. Way better CC.

She’s handy for Slow

Slow is decent, but I vastly prefer Grease, Glitterdust and Create Pit. Also Stinking Cloud, although in practice I didn't use it much.

 

[Desiderius]

Slow is enemies only.

 

[Desiderius]

No worse than Val, it’s just a pain to heal. You could let her fight with reach until the good Tower Shields start showing up.

 

[Desiderius]

Only time I played her straight through I went Inq20 Ranged with Necro Cloak and it was great. There aren’t that many good teamwork feats in unmodded anyway that other toons don’t already want. Shield Wall is only a couple AC.

Her strongest ability is WIS to initiative and second is Perception per level so that means pure INQ caster.

 

[Desiderius]

Castigate (Unique Inq spell) is very good in Ch 1.

 

[RK47]

Her strongest ability is to cast 2 animate dead in one round and just watch the AI go full retard.
It is especially funny when I just swap to Necro Staff for +3 skeleton weapons summon and hasted them all.
Anyway I went Amiri Freebooter.
I think Aim for Lvl 15 FB then see what I can do with Barbie. Or since level ups take longer to reach at high lvl, just pump Vivi mutagen into her thicc ass for 1d6 Sneak +4 STR and 2 AC

 

[RK47]

I'm annoyed with Tristian's choice of domain.
If I want to make a new ecclesitheurge which domain would be the best pick for primary?

 

[LannTheStupid]

If I want to make a new ecclesitheurge which domain would be the best pick for primary?

That's what I used for Varnhold's Lot on Hard. Praise InEffect!

Deity: Gozreh
Domains: Water, Animal

But InEffect also recommends Erastil -> Communal / Animal.

 

[Haplo]

For a cleric dip in a (non ranger) martial build, Torag with Artifice domain can be an interesting pick - for Lead Blades.

 

[RK47]

Ok why is wild shape useful for druids? Seems very underwhelming.

 

[Mr. Magniloquent]

I'm annoyed with Tristian's choice of domain.
If I want to make a new ecclesitheurge which domain would be the best pick for primary?

It depends on what you want to accomplish. Look at the domains and see what spells you like most.

 

[InD_ImaginE]

Ok why is wild shape useful for druids? Seems very underwhelming.

Wild Shape is build specific, not really something you use unless you are planning to build around it.

Wild Shape Druid with that cape you get in the bridge (1d4 cold on bite, free trip on bite), various Aspect of the spells and you can trip every motherfucker within biting range.

Certainly not late-game material tho, I think the build peaked around Armag and kinda plateu'd there.

 

[RK47]

Ok why is wild shape useful for druids? Seems very underwhelming.

Wild Shape is build specific, not really something you use unless you are planning to build around it.

Wild Shape Druid with that cape you get in the bridge (1d4 cold on bite, free trip on bite), various Aspect of the spells and you can trip every motherfucker within biting range.

Certainly not late-game material tho, I think the build peaked around Armag and kinda plateu'd there.

Yeah I was thinking of that cape, and only that cape.
I got a question though.
If I have an alchemist mutagen active and turned into animal form, do I get the bite bonus attack or not?

 

[InD_ImaginE]

Ok why is wild shape useful for druids? Seems very underwhelming.

Wild Shape is build specific, not really something you use unless you are planning to build around it.

Wild Shape Druid with that cape you get in the bridge (1d4 cold on bite, free trip on bite), various Aspect of the spells and you can trip every motherfucker within biting range.

Certainly not late-game material tho, I think the build peaked around Armag and kinda plateu'd there.

Yeah I was thinking of that cape, and only that cape.
I got a question though.
If I have an alchemist mutagen active and turned into animal form, do I get the bite bonus attack or not?

The build can work without that cape, but that cape just make it on whole another level of strong. Later with Aspect of the Wolves you also get trip as a free action.

The cape should give the bonus to any biting attack, I remember using it with Amiri on my non-Druid playthrough as she got that Rage Power that gives bite attack.

 

[razvedchiki]

is duelist parry worth the lvls invested in the class?

 

[Trashos]

Doing my hard-difficulty Sword Saint (Rapier) playthrough. Great fun, and I have also gradually gotten much better at this game (I am currently in Vordakai's Tomb and I feel fine!)

I took a scaled fist lvl early for the +CHA in AC, but it was probably a mistake. I get +2 AC out of it and an easy Crane Style, but everything else (eg spells) comes slower. Not sure currently how it affected my (pretty good) saves. Not sure yet if it has delayed my BAB (hopefully not). Crane Style is pretty good of course, but was it worth it? I will probably try a full Sword Saint in my next playthrough to do a comp.

Relatively happy with my choice of Rapier. I may try a Dueling Sword in the future. It is possible to get a unique +5 Dueling Sword right after visiting Varnhold, so maybe that is the way to go.

My Sword Saint is an off-tank (behind Jaethal & Okbo, ahead of Harrim and the other weaklings), and it is indeed a fun way to play the game as a fighter/mage with emphasis on fighter.

QUESTION: If I want to play a fighter/mage with emphasis on mage, what class should I be looking at?

 

[Haplo]

Doing my hard-difficulty Sword Saint (Rapier) playthrough. Great fun, and I have also gradually gotten much better at this game (I am currently in Vordakai's Tomb and I feel fine!)

I took a scaled fist lvl early for the +CHA in AC, but it was probably a mistake. I get +2 AC out of it and an easy Crane Style, but everything else (eg spells) comes slower. Not sure currently how it affected my (pretty good) saves. Not sure yet if it has delayed my BAB (hopefully not). Crane Style is pretty good of course, but was it worth it? I will probably try a full Sword Saint in my next playthrough to do a comp.

Relatively happy with my choice of Rapier. I may try a Dueling Sword in the future. It is possible to get a unique +5 Dueling Sword right after visiting Varnhold, so maybe that is the way to go.

My Sword Saint is an off-tank (behind Jaethal & Okbo, ahead of Harrim and the other weaklings), and it is indeed a fun way to play the game as a fighter/mage with emphasis on fighter.

QUESTION: If I want to play a fighter/mage with emphasis on mage, what class should I be looking at?

Kinda sad to read this. Rapier is a pretty sad weapon category on a Sword Saint.
The SF dip wasn't a bad idea I'd say - and it can get even better when you find unique monk robes (depending on your alignment) AND much better multi-stat boosters. Personally I prefer to start with 14-16 Wis and go with Traditional Monk, but SF with some Cha works also.
That said, rapier kinda points at a Dex build (which makes me sad again), and that's like the only case where I probably would skip the monk dip to eventually reach Weapon Mastery and improved crit multiplier, because it has an easier AC ramp regardless.

But if you play a SS as an offtank past level 5 or so, you're probably doing something wrong. Mine was usually charging head-first into combat. Well, it gets even better/safer with Perfect Reflexes at SS 19.

If you do play another SS, I'd advise you to man up. A dueling sword isn't a terrible pick (much better then a rapier), but its outclassed by falcatas, longswords and my personal favourites, bastard swords. Note that in Kingmaker you can even finesse wield those with Slashing Grace - but I advise going for Str focus instead.

 

[Trashos]

and my personal favourites, bastard swords

I know, Haplo. We all know.

Thanks for the response, but several things do not make sense to me.

Given that I am, indeed, DEX, I didn't have many choices for weapons. Rapier and Dueling Sword both fit and have a decent/great progression throughout the game, so my choice was limited.

A Sword Saint does not wear armor, why would I not go DEX? Yes, I can get all the buffs and the bracers, but I get those while DEX too. I am not sure yet how the rest of the game goes in terms of AC (this is my 1st playthrough with SS), but at least the early game would have been a nightmare if I had gone STR.

My stat points have gone to DEX and secondarily to INT (for the sword saint bonuses and spells) and CHA (for the Persuasion bonuses). Some CON in there too for robustness. No points left for WIS.

At the level I am at, my Sword Saint can indeed tank. But this is the main character, too dangerous to be the front tank. Jaethal and Okbo do not even die, they are much better tanks than anyone else. That's why my SS is the off-tank (although when I face touch attacks, he naturally steps upfront).

In my mind, what happens at lvl19 is largely irrelevant. That's the endgame lvl. The trouble is getting there.

 

[Haplo]

Well, you basically did the AC ramp, Trashos - you dipped SF (and took Crane Style!). That is generally enough on a Sword Saint to soft cap AC, even on Unfair difficulty, even when focusing on Str (with a healthy Dex, like 14). You should have well surpassed this game's tanking AC curve. I once made an exercise to see how far I could go AC wise with my Str build (with monk dip)if I optimize for it (including bards Inspire Heroics song, using an amulet that other characters usually need more and such). Well, it was around 87 AC, so...

My experience was that early game certainly wasn't a nightmare (on Hard). Till level 5 I did tend to offtank and let Valerie go first. That changed pretty fast once I got Mirror Image and a few more AC/stat boosters (Octavia to cast Mage Armor for example).
Initially the "main tank" capacity was quite limited in time due to buffs expiring (or Images being destroyed), but that changed pretty fast with 2-3 copies of each key buff (Shield and Mirror Image, mostly - plus Enlarge, but that's not for AC) and a lesser Extend Rod.

And regarding available weaponry, the way Kingmaker works, you could indeed Dex wield a longsword or a falcata (with Slashing Grace). Estocs are fine weapons also, though their progression could be better.

 

[NJClaw]

A Sword Saint does not wear armor, why would I not go DEX?

To deal more damage. I know it's a trite saying, but "the best defense is a good offense" is particularly true in this game, and usually it's easier to deal more damage with Strength than Dexterity.

QUESTION: If I want to play a fighter/mage with emphasis on mage, what class should I be looking at?

Fighter 1/Wizard 5/Eldritch Knight 10/Wizard +4 gets BAB +15 and 9th level spells, losing 2 caster levels.
Wizard 5/Eldritch Knight 10/Wizard +5 gets the same BAB, but is only 1 caster level behind a pure Wizard (however, you have to take the Martial Weapons Proficiency feat).

You can drop a Monk level in there if you want to boost your AC, or 2 Paladin levels to get a way to ignore damage reduction and boost your saves. You can also use the Sorcerer instead of the Wizard to get a character based on Charisma, but than you get a slower spells progression.

 

[Haplo]

Well, sorc delayed progression is a pain. But its not so bad here where taking Martial Proficiency grants access to all martial weapons and fulfills EK requirement.
On the other hand, the Bloodline bonuses can be handy for an EK.